


On The Podium

by magic_one



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: 2019 Formula 1 Season, Andreas and Carlos Oñoro mentioned also, Brazilian Grand Prix 2019, Formula 1, Formula One, George Lewis Valtteri Alex and Robert are mentioned, M/M, Race Events, qualifying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:16:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22197931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magic_one/pseuds/magic_one
Summary: What happened in Brazil from Carlos's perspective. The best day of his life.
Relationships: Lando Norris/Carlos Sainz Jr
Comments: 14
Kudos: 68





	On The Podium

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! I'm back with some more Carlando :D Even though it's been almost 2 months since Brazil, I'm still not even close to being over everything that happened and Carlos's first podium.
> 
> I wanted to write my version of the events from Carlos's perspective with a little twist at the end! :)
> 
> Please don't share this fic outside AO3, and know that this is completely separate from and not supposed to speculate about the people or events in the fic!
> 
> I hope you enjoy, and any comments, kudos, or feedback are super super appreciated!!

The weekend started off rough.

The team was struggling, placing low in free practices even with full qualifying setups, and Saturday was even worse. Carlos’s mechanical struggles mixed with Lando’s failure to make it into Q3 didn’t help anything. Morale was low and everyone could feel it. Andreas tried his best to encourage everyone, but even he couldn’t stir any excitement in the Woking-based team. 

Carlos and Lando were in Lando’s hotel room after Qualifying that Saturday, silent except for the sound of light rain on the window and the FIFA game that Lando was in the middle of. Carlos was sitting on the bed snacking on some chips. His eyes were on Lando and the game he was playing, but his mind was a thousand miles away, reflecting on all that had gone wrong earlier that day. 

“I don’t remember seeing crisps on your meal plan. You’re gonna get in trouble for that you know.” Lando said, without looking up from his game. 

Lando’s voice brought Carlos back to reality. He responded by shoving a couple more chips in his mouth, and by saying (with a partially full mouth), “If anyone finds out I will tell them that I deserve it. I say that not even being able to get out and set a lap time certainly allows me some sort of pity snack. They will understand.”

Lando paused his game just as his team scored a goal and laughed. “If you say so. But if Rupert says anything, know that I’m not covering for you.”

Lando walked over to Carlos and sat in his lap, leaning into him. 

“What a good boyfriend you are,” Carlos teased while pulling Lando more on top of him. “Not even planning on defending me! I’m hurt, betrayed even.”

Lando punched the Spaniard lightly, smiling. “Oh fuck off, I’m the best boyfriend and you know it.” 

Carlos leaned in and gave Lando a light and quick kiss, hugging him close after. “I do know. The best boyfriend I could ask for,” he murmured close to Lando’s ear.

They both fell into silence, knowing that the other was still disappointed by the day’s results. The rain and the dark clouds seemed to reflect their mood. Being close to each other helped them both, but they both knew that the only thing that could really help is getting a good result the next day.

“I’m mad at myself,” Lando said quietly after a while. 

“I know cabron, me too. At my own self I mean.” Carlos sighed. “Today was shit.” 

“I just, I know that I can do so much better, that the team can do some much better. We _ deserve _so much better than a P20 and a P10 that wasn’t even legitimately earned.” Lando said, leaning back to look at his boyfriend. “You should’ve been able to actually qualify.”

“You are doing your absolute best out there Lando, it was just a tough day for everyone. And yes, setting a time would have been nice I agree, but the team did what they could, it was just a mechanical problem. It happens. Plus, those are not our final results, we can still fight.” Carlos replied, seemingly trying to equally reassure Lando and himself of that fact. 

“Yeah, I know. And we will fight, in this race and the many more after that. We’ll fight until we’re both holding so many trophies that we’ll have to grow an extra set of arms to hold them all.” Lando said with a smile.

“That has to be in violation of some FIA rule,” Carlos chuckled and leaned in for a kiss once more.

***

The weekend ended much better.

Carlos hated being at the back of the grid. As much as Carlos liked hanging out with George (a consequence of dating Lando), he did not enjoy seeing the back of his Williams. 

The commotion of everyone on track suddenly died down, and soon it was just Carlos, and the feeling of his car beneath him. His heart pounded as he waited for the lights to go out, for the race to start, and for his fight to begin.

And then it did.

Carlos took off and made up two places by passing George and Robert on the opening lap. An alright start. He kept going, kept fighting and steadily gained places throughout the race. He kept his head down and worked to overtake everyone he came across. At some point, after a pit stop and many more laps, Carlos was informed that Valtteri had retired. Then, not long afterwards, he saw the carnage of the Ferraris as he drove past them, moving up from seventh to fifth. _ Then _, he passed Alex due to some contact with Lewis, and suddenly he was fourth. A place away from a podium.

He might have a shot.

A real shot for his first Formula One podium. 

_ Just maybe _, Carlos thought, and he allowed himself to hope.

***

He finished in fourth.

Carlos was happy, if not a little disappointed. Lando finished in eighth, and given their lacklustre weekend up to this point, a good points haul was even more than they were expecting. He was also proud of Pierre. Carlos could imagine how good a first podium felt, even if he hadn’t experienced it yet.

He would just have to wait a little bit longer. 

Carlos found Lando after the race in the paddock and was surprised when Lando looked even more excited than he was. Carlos couldn’t remember Lando ever being this excited for an eighth place. He then found himself being grabbed and practically dragged back to the McLaren garage by his smaller boyfriend. 

“Come on come on! Andreas has something he needs to tell you, and I think you’re gonna like it.”

After getting back to the McLaren garage Carlos was informed that Lewis was under investigation for his incident with Alex and if he got a penalty, that would mean Carlos would be in third.

His first podium.

Maybe he wouldn’t have to wait.

Maybe he could hope just a bit more.

The waiting period was agonizing. Each second felt like an hour, and his heart was racing as fast as his car with DRS. All he could do was sit in his room, with Lando, his cousin, and Andreas all watching over him. Lando sat beside him and rested his hand on Carlos’s thigh. He understood that all Carlos needed was silent support, and was just there for his boyfriend.

Carlos heard the podium ceremony come and go with still no decision from the stewards. 

He started to lose hope.

Lando opened his arms and Carlos just collapsed into them and allowed himself to be held.

More waiting.

And more waiting.

And some more waiting.

And then Andreas went out to go talk to someone. 

Carlos and Lando leaned back and looked at each other. There was hope in Carlos’s eyes.

Andreas came back in with the largest grin Carlos had ever seen on the man, and the room erupted in cheers and screams. 

Lando tackled Carlos, hugging him so tight Carlos almost couldn’t breathe. Not that it would have mattered, Carlos felt so much joy that he could have died a happy man. It didn’t seem real, it couldn’t have been possible. Carlos didn’t know how he could contain the euphoria he was feeling. This was the happiest he had been in his entire life. He had done it. 

So much happened so quickly. He was screaming, smiling, and punching the air one minute and then he was talking to the rest of the team and some reporters, and then he was on the podium with his team and Lando with a Formula 1 trophy and a bottle of champagne in his hands. 

Even though there wasn’t anyone in the stands, and even though no national anthems played, it was still perfect to Carlos. It was loud and chaotic with the whole team celebrating, but Carlos still managed to pull Lando close enough to him so that they could hear each other. 

“Thank you for being here with me,” Carlos said, with the biggest smile on his face. “I know this cannot be easy for you but the fact that you are here means the world to me.”

“Don’t even worry about me,” Lando said, also smiling like a madman. There was pride evident in everything that he did, pride for Carlos. “I’m not gonna lie, I want my first podium too. But you’ve waited so much longer than me, and you deserve this more than anyone I know.”

“Thank you cabron. So so so much. For everything.” Carlos replied. He thought about everything he had done, all the work and time and effort he has put in to get to this day. He felt completely and utterly blissful and complete. 

Well, almost.

Carlos realized that he wanted to celebrate with Lando, really celebrate with Lando. He wanted to let the world know that he wouldn’t be there without his boyfriend, and everything they had done together, everything they had shared together, and everything they had done to support one another.

Carlos looked at his Lando. “You know, there is only one thing that would make this amazing day even better.”

Lando understood immediately and smirked. “Are you sure? We haven’t exactly gone public or anything.”

Carlos’s smile grew, which he didn’t even think was possible. “If you’re alright with it, there is literally nothing I would like more.” 

Lando took a deep breath and looked up at Carlos. His loving boyfriend, one of his best friends, and his teammate now with a Formula One podium to his name.

“Alright then! I love you so much Carlos.”

And then Lando leaned in. 

In that moment, Carlos realized that he was wrong earlier that day. As he heard the approving sounds of his team around him, and felt Lando smile against his lips, he knew that _ this _ was the happiest he had been in his entire life. 

**Author's Note:**

> Any kudos, comments, or feedback are always welcome and appreciated :D


End file.
